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All received 14 counseling sessions of 60 to 90 minutes, and were evaluated at three months' and six months' time, then underwent a 12-month follow-up. Those who received the prolonged exposure showed a greater decline in PTSD and depression symptom severity during the treatment period, and greater improvement in overall function, according to the study, published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The improvements were sustained over the one-year period, according to the study.

The program was designed by University of Pennsylvania clinical psychologist Edna Foa.

In 2010, Foa and fellow researchers reported similar findings among 38 adolescent girls: About two-thirds of those who underwent exposure therapy no longer met the clinical diagnosis of PTSD, compared with 37 percent who underwent psychotherapy.